Tips if four-ways aren't your forte

The in basket: Dick MacGeorge of Bremerton asks for a discussion of the rules at a four-way stop.

"I see that many drivers don't know what to do when two or more cars arrive at the same time," he wrote. "My big concern is the intersection of Pine and Sylvan Way in East Bremerton. I have avoided many collisions there. So far I have been lucky. Most of the people just don't know the rules of the road."

The out basket: I love four-way stops. When traffic isn't too heavy for them to be practical, they're the next best things to a roundabout, I think. They are predictable as to about how long it will take to get through and be on one's way. They are one of the few signs I see on the roads that drivers are willing to cooperate with one another.

The basic rule of the road when two cars are waiting at a four-way stop is that the one on the right goes first. Who arrived first is the tiebreaker when that doesn't settle it. But the realities of the roadway raise a lot of questions the basic rules don't cover, so eye contact, logic and cooperation among the drivers are essential.

For example, when a pedestrian or left-turner keeps the person on my right from proceeding. I'll go ahead if there are no other conflicts, knowing he must wait.

The four-way stop I use most is at Perry Avenue and Sylvan Way, where the uphill grade on westbound Sylvan adds a complication. Even there, I've never had a close call. Speeds are necessarily low at a four-way stop, so collisions shouldn't be hard to avoid.

I ran this past the state patrol and sheriff's office and they had no argument. Kitsap County Deputy Scott Wilson says, "The only real problem that I've ever encountered is when drivers are not paying attention and they don't stop, i.e. they blow through the stop sign. Typically, this is because they're not familiar with the neighborhood, are not paying attention and don't see the "4-Way Stop Ahead" sign posted several yards farther back."

Legal vs. liable: Friday's Road Warrior saying there's no law against a car the color of lacquered sheet metal brought a quick retort from Robert Jungst of Kingston, who said, "There's a heap of difference between legal and liable. He'd best consult a lawyer on this or use the car only on overcast days. If he causes an accident because of glare, his insurance company will most likely leave him slowly twisting in the wind."

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